Reading archive 2026-06-29 pt 1

Why resisting Trump has galvanized Black Democrats as the midterms approach: High primary turnout among Black voters in the South has given some in the party hope for upset wins in the region.

Pete Hegseth’s purges claim one of the military’s superstars: Gen. Christopher Donahue heads into early retirement as the defense secretary seeks to root out MAGA disloyalty.

Organizers remove Confederate flag image from N.C. booth at fair on the Mall: One sponsor said it was withdrawing its participation in the state’s pavilion at the Great American State Fair.

The Great American State Fair feels rushed, simulated and oddly sterile: The Trump administration’s signature 250th celebration is strangely short on nostalgia — and long on defense contractors and “Fox & Friends.”

House Oversight and Government Reform Committee investigating tax noncompliance among feds: The probe comes after a May report from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration found rising rates of tax delinquency in the federal workforce.

The Trump Pentagon appointee who has divided top Republicans: Elbridge Colby has become the central figure in a battle to define the future of “America First” foreign policy.

What a gastroenterologist wants you to know about bidets: I’ve received so many questions from people who are bidet-curious but not yet bidet-ready.

Cassidy, fresh off a blowup with Trump, blasts RFK Jr.’s policies: The GOP senator said a “foundation of lies” had shaped Kennedy’s health policies. He also accused Trump of treating Congress as an “appendage.”

How Poland’s fate drove the Declaration

Unease deepens in Russia as Ukraine steps up long-range strikes: Experts said Vladimir Putin was unlikely to change course despite worsening fuel shortages and a sharp decline in the stock market.

Pete Buttigieg recounts being separated from his children after bogus complaint: The high-profile Democrat said he was unable to see his twins for 24 hours as police investigated the false report to child protective services. Michigan State Police confirmed they deemed the complaint unfounded. - "Buttigieg said investigators said the anonymous allegation came from a caller who said he spoke to a woman 'who claimed to have met me at a conference several years ago in Alabama, where she said I told her that I had committed unspeakable violent crimes and the caller believed my children were still at risk.'"

Is Florida Finally Tiring of Toxic Republican Politics?

On the Midterms Trail, Andy Beshear Eyes a Bigger Prize: The two-term Democratic governor of deep-red Kentucky, in demand as a surrogate in key 2026 races, talks horses, faith and family politics as he considers a run for the White House

How the Biden Administration ‘Radicalized’ Pete Buttigieg: The former — and potentially future — presidential candidate laid out his vision for a post-Trump Democratic Party in an interview with NOTUS.

Democrats Are Drafting Plans to Govern Like Trump in 2029: He may have inadvertently sown the seeds of a new progressive age.

Trump Cut a Billion-Dollar Mining Deal. His Sons Stand to Profit.: An agreement between the U.S. and Kazakhstan has given a group of American investors with ties to the president and the commerce secretary access to one of the world’s largest untapped reserves of tungsten.

Reading archive 2026-01-27

Maryland is getting a Sphere — and wasting millions in public subsidies: Wes Moore is wrong to compel Wizards and Caps fans to enrich the owner of the Knicks and Rangers. - "The deal announced recently to bring a smaller version of Las Vegas’s Sphere to Maryland’s National Harbor in 2030 includes almost $185 million of tax breaks, government-backed loans and incentive programs from the state and Prince George’s County.

"But the Las Vegas location, which is about three times bigger, was built without any government subsidies and pays property taxes."

Colorado has wolves again for the first time in 80 years. Why are they dying?: A controversial reintroduction program is off to a messy start.

Small study shows a promising path toward HIV cure: Antiretroviral drugs that prevent HIV and keep it in check have been transformative, but a cure has been a long-sought goal.

A 3-year-old’s lost life leads to reform in police pursuits in Md.: The Prince George’s County Council has passed a bill named after Zoey Rose Marie Harrison, who was killed in a police pursuit crash.

ICE would still operate in a partial government shutdown: Immigration and Customs Enforcement would be able to continue its operations due to $75 billion in funding from a 2025 GOP law.

What to know about the deadly Nipah virus, amid outbreak in India: Some airports in Asia are on alert after confirmed cases in West Bengal of Nipah virus, which has no cure. South Asia sees outbreaks nearly every year.

FBI takes over investigation into town hall attack on Rep. Ilhan Omar: In a video from the event, a man walks up and sprays what appears to be a liquid at the Minnesota Democrat — who is a frequent target of Trump — before he is taken away by security.

Your Leaders Were Lying. Now The People Are Driving: The depravity of ICE, the enthusiasm of Republicans and the cowardice of Democrats is breaking through hypernormalization

Here’s How Many ICE and CBP Agents Allegedly Preyed on Children: Apparently the institutions are riddled with accused sex criminals.

Inside the shadow war between Russia and Ukraine that exploits teens: Vika, 18, needed a job. Then came an offer for $2,500 to make a simple delivery that seemed too good to be true.

Museum curator, 77, learns Gen Z slang and goes viral: ‘Honestly, she ate’: “Look how bro glazed it,” said Alison Luchs, the National Gallery of Art’s deputy head of sculpture, pointing to a 16th-century Italian plate.

ICE agents blocked from entering Ecuadorian Consulate in Minneapolis, ministry says: Law enforcement is generally prohibited from entering consulates or embassies without permission. Ecuador’s Foreign Ministry said it had filed a formal diplomatic protest.

Americans should not trust ICE. Kristi Noem isn’t the only reason.: Assume this loutocracy’s statements on its deportation mania are lies until proven otherwise. - "Policing is a hard, dangerous profession. Done well, it demands of its practitioners discipline and judgment, and deserves from society a respect approaching reverence. The current administration, by erasing the distinction between police work and military operations — by allowing marauding ICEmen to pose as police — has grievously wounded the dignity of policing."

A Reckoning for the Tech Right: Silicon Valley’s top CEOs have been noticeably silent after the Minneapolis shooting.

Donald Trump Can Be Stopped: The president’s retreat in Minneapolis is a stinging defeat for the national conservatives.

Never Fight Alone: Anyone who would denigrate the service of our NATO allies clearly never spent a day in uniform.

South Carolina Is America’s New Measles Norm: The state’s measles outbreak could soon be bigger than West Texas’s. Are the two connected?

Minnesota Proved MAGA Wrong: The pushback against ICE exposed a series of mistaken assumptions. - "If the Minnesota resistance has an overarching ideology, you could call it "neighborism"-a commitment to protecting the people around you, no matter who they are or where they came from. The contrast with the philosophy guiding the Trump administration couldn't be more extreme. Vice President Vance has said that 'it is totally reasonable and acceptable for American citizens to look at their next-door neighbors and say, 'I want to live next to people who I have something in common with. I don't want to live next to four families of strangers.'' Minnesotans are insisting that their neighbors are their neighbors whether they were born in Minneapolis or Mogadishu. That is, arguably, a deeply Christian philosophy, one apparently loathed by some of the most powerful Christians in America."

...

"The federal surge into Minneapolis reflects a series of mistaken MAGA assumptions. The first is the belief that diverse communities aren't possible: 'Social bonds form among people who have something in common,' Vance said in a speech last July. 'If you stop importing millions of foreigners into the country, you allow social cohesion to form naturally.' Vance's remarks are the antithesis to the neighborism of the Twin Cities, whose people do not share the narcissism of being capable of loving only those who are exactly like them."

Reading archive 2025-12-11

Hundreds quarantined as South Carolina measles outbreak accelerates: A state epidemiologist said the spike in cases came in the wake of Thanksgiving travel and a lack of vaccinations. At least 16 cases were traced to a church.

Democrats face a mess in Texas: A late shuffle in the primary race could cost the party a Senate seat.

Tim Walz is crumbling, along with his 2028 hopes: The Minnesota governor tries to answer for social services fraud on his watch.

How antisemitism is entering mainstream culture: Celebrities demanding the release of a convicted Palestinian terrorist signals a deep problem.

Republicans will regret ceding this issue to the left: New York mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani explained due process in a video. Kristi Noem didn’t like that.

Why these red state Republicans are resisting Trump’s efforts to expand GOP power: Republicans hold a 40-10 advantage in the state Senate but may still reject Trump’s pressure. ‘Hoosiers are very independent.’

Lawmakers launch bipartisan, last-minute bids to force vote on ACA subsidies: Either of the efforts would need the support of nearly all House Democrats to succeed.

Military admits ‘mistake’ in viral arrest of U.S. civilian in Japan: Kareem El, a civilian from Washington, D.C., visiting Okinawa, was held by U.S. military police for declining to provide identification.

D.C.’s Anita Bonds won’t run again, further shaking up 2026 elections: D.C. Council member Anita Bonds (D-At Large), 80, says it’s time for “new energy” as the 2026 election cycle promises to bring change to the city’s leadership.

Why a Democratic upset in Miami should worry Trump: How a Democrat won the mayor’s race for the first time since 1997.

Texas midterms point to ideological corners, not swing-state issues: Next year’s contests seem destined to produce a congressional delegation of staunch conservatives and liberals, as determined by primary voters.

At the first stop on his affordability tour, Trump mocks affordability: What was supposed to be a speaking tour to connect with Americans struggling with higher prices and stagnant wages was instead a greatest-hits campaign speech. - "'Let me tell you, Black people love Trump,' he said, and then added: 'They know a scam better than anybody.'"

Trump order to keep Michigan power plant open costs taxpayers $113m: Critics say JH Campbell coal-fired plant in western Michigan is expensive and emits high levels of toxic pollution

A Kansas town chose cruelty. Now it mourns as the mayor faces voter fraud charge and deportation.

‘Deeply demoralizing’: how Trump derailed coal country’s clean-energy revival - "The cuts have deepened existing mistrust in government, known colloquially as Appalachian fatalism, yet many of those interviewed by the Guardian blame Washington politics generally rather than Trump.

"'This party has taken away that funding from Appalachia illegally: that’s the stone-cold fact. But by the time those facts reach communities on the ground, it’s just so muddy. I think some are asking questions about why training is being shut down and why they didn’t get their Snap [food assistance] benefits, but where they’ll find the answers is the big issue,' said Hannah." [ed. note: they'll blame everyone but themselves]

Church displays Nativity scene with baby Jesus in zip ties, ICE agents

Reagan judges surface as unfiltered assessors of Trump

Reading archive 2025-08-07

As hunger spread in Gaza, Israeli media began to focus on Palestinians: Amid reports of starvation in Gaza and growing international outrage, news of the worsening crisis began to break through into mainstream Israeli media.

These nuclear reactors fit on a flatbed truck. How safe are they?: The nuclear industry aims to miniaturize, looking to place hundreds of small power plants across the nation. - "Walker said a billionaire approached Nano inquiring whether the microreactor could be used to power a self-sustaining island community. 'They asked if it was possible to have a project where this could power their own vertical farm and their own desalination plant on an island that is completely self-sufficient,' Walker said. 'We communicated back that it is certainly possible.'"

What the fall of Florida’s oranges tells us about the future: Orange juice was once a national obsession. Disease and the beverage’s high sugar content are turning consumers away.

He could have been the GOP’s voice on crime, but his faith intervened: Phillip Todd, a staffer for Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky), was nearly killed in a random attack in D.C. He took two years to figure out what he wanted to say.

What’s really depressing America’s young men: The U.S. has two overlapping problems: the housing crisis and despondency in young men.

Millennials went wild for Outdoor Voices. Can it become cool again?: The beloved brand redefined athleisure. Its founder has returned with plans to shake it up.

We analyzed the research on 5 sleep supplements. Here’s what actually works.: No supplement is going to dramatically improve your sleep, but some may offer modest benefits with minimal side effects.

The economy is cracking. This trend is most alarming. The U.S. economy is growing ever more reliant on top earners. It’s risky — and tough for the middle class.

Radioactive wasp nests found near nuclear storage site in South Carolina: One of the nests found near the Savannah River Site had a radiation level 10 times what is allowed by federal regulations, according to a federal report.

The Democrats Are Blowing a Big Opportunity Right Now: What Trump understands about the Texas gerrymandering war that national Democrats do not

Reading archive 2025-06-30

Nancy Mace privately asks Trump aides to unfreeze Mercedes EV funds: The program, set up through President Joe Biden’s climate law, would benefit a Mercedes-Benz plant in South Carolina. - "Roughly 85 percent of the investments unlocked in part by the 2022 law have come in Republican districts, according to an analysis last year by E2, a nonpartisan group."

No bones, no scales, no problem: The first lab-grown salmon sold in the U.S.: Wildtype’s cell-cultivated salmon is the first seafood to earn FDA approval, marking a significant milestone for the alternative protein industry.

Young Republicans are fueling the GOP’s generational divide on Israel: “To be ‘America First,’ the Stars and Stripes must come before the Star of David,” said one 20-year-old conservative. - "'I get most of my information from podcasts, from Twitter, from real-time updates, as things are happening,' he said. 'I feel like older generations typically still rely on cable news and newspapers, whereas either the information is more delayed or it’s more of a manufactured narrative.'"

Man who kicked customs dog at Dulles ordered to leave U.S.: A 70-year-old man pleaded guilty to attacking Freddie the Beagle and was ordered to pay $840 in vet fees.

Mamdani faces Islamophobic attacks from GOP lawmakers, commentators: The latest barrage has included comments from Republicans in Congress, with some calling on the likely Democratic nominee for New York mayor to be ‘deported.’

As indicted ex-D.C. lawmaker seeks election, opponents urge voters to move on: Trayon White Sr., expelled from the D.C. Council in February after a bribery arrest, faces three challengers who all hope the electorate wants someone new.

How park visitors responded when asked to report anti-American signs Most comments reviewed by The Post were positive, though some visitors complained that there were too many mosquitos and “not enough moose.”

Giant crowd at Pride in Budapest defies repressive new Hungarian law: With the support of the city’s liberal mayor, organizers of Budapest Pride took to the streets in defiance of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s effort to ban the event.

Morale craters at State Department as mass layoffs loom: Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called the agency “bloated,” yet as violence spiked in the Middle East, staff say they’ve been asked to work extra hours.

Russia unleashes its summer offensive with an army mired in problems: Russia’s army has vast manpower and equipment advantages over Ukraine, but its progress has been slow and Russian military bloggers blame a culture of military corruption.

The billionaire betting on crypto — and the skeptic betting against him: Michael Saylor earned billions selling company stock to buy bitcoin. Jim Chanos, who famously shorted Enron, is suspicious.

CEOs Are Quietly Telling Us the Truth: AI Is Replacing You: They say AI is just a tool to help workers. But read between the lines, and the message is clear: your job is already on the line.

What the Islamophobic Attacks on Mamdani Reveal: Rather than cement its new multiracial coalition, the MAGA movement seems almost desperate to break it apart. - "Just a few months ago, Trumpists were bragging about the multiracial working-class coalition that got them a second term. Now it's as if they've forgotten that coalition entirely. Or perhaps, at some level, they don't want to keep it intact, because they refuse to recognize those communities as fully American, or even fully human."

The Invisible City of Tehran: Secret spaces are layered beneath the visible ones like the traces of ink on a palimpsest.

The Red State Where Republicans Aren’t Afraid of Trump: Some of the last remaining GOP holdouts hail from the same state.

The Iran-China-Russia Axis Crumbles When It Matters: Beijing likes allies who needle the U.S., but it values stability even more. - "Since World War II, leaders of Western democracies have successfully collaborated in part because they have shared a common worldview. Whether Iran's Islamic theocrats can say the same about Xi, the leader of an avowedly atheist state, or Putin, who now positions himself as the champion of Orthodox Christianity, is another question entirely."

Reading archive 2025-06-03

The Rise of the Shallow State On the loss of state capacity and institutional memory in the federal government. - "This destruction of knowledge will obviously have serious long-term effects on U.S. state capacity — but in many cases the private sector will also be hit hard. That is because the provision of public goods often incentivizes the provision of private goods — which means the elimination of public goods puts a crimp in the ability of some markets to function. For example, the elimination of NOAA positions will make insurance more difficult to issue."

Records of dead people show how the pro-Trump spin machine keeps going: Supporters cite a prosaic DOGE announcement as evidence that a Social Security problem that never existed has been fixed.

Black Democrats fume over 2024 while ‘searching for a leader’ in 2028: Frustration over the loss to President Donald Trump came into sharp focus this past weekend in South Carolina, an early nominating state and power center for Black leaders.

What’s the best way to store strawberries? We tested popular methods.: Here’s how to store fresh strawberries to keep them plump, juicy and mold-free for as long as possible.

We are witnessing the suicide of a superpower: The president’s assault on science dangerously undermines America’s superpower status.

Infamous D.C. intersection with a Wendy’s in the middle is now a plaza: “Dave Thomas Circle,” a source of frustration and confusion for decades, has been remade into a park space with more efficient traffic lanes. It is now named after Negro leagues pitcher Mamie “Peanut” Johnson.

‘I want my child back’: Surge in D.C. shootings left 20 dead in May: A spike in violence pushed the city’s year-to-date homicide count to 69 as of May 31, nearly equaling the total for the same five-month period in 2024.

We finally may be able to rid the world of mosquitoes. But should we?: Gene editing holds the potential of suppressing mosquito species that carry deadly diseases — and raises ethical questions.

Where smoke from Canadian wildfires has spread into the U.S.: Smoke ended up as far south as the coastal Southeast U.S. over the weekend.

Reading archive 2025-06-02

In South Carolina, Wes Moore urges Democrats to be ‘impatient’ amid 2028 buzz: Moore, a potential 2028 presidential contender, told party leaders in this early primary state to mimic how quickly Trump implemented his agenda to score Democratic wins.

DOD employee tried to leak classified information, prosecutors say: Nathan Vilas Laatsch, 28, is accused of trying to trade secrets for German citizenship because of disagreements with the Trump administration. - "'It will not be easy for them, for example, to open a case on me without my knowledge since my permissions to see that would need to be changed and I’d notice,' he told the undercover FBI agent in one message quoted in the charging documents, boasting that he knew how to avoid the 'stupid mistakes' that had bedeviled other U.S. employees under investigation."

DOGE vowed to make government more ‘efficient’ — but it’s doing the opposite: New procedures and requirements — some implemented in the name of improving operations — are slowing down federal agencies.

Trump takes aim at the one climate solution Republicans love: The Energy Department announced Friday that it was terminating $3.7 billion in grants for carbon capture and other projects.

As Kamala Harris weighs a run for governor, some Democrats are moving on: Numerous California gubernatorial hopefuls spent the weekend courting state party delegates, while the former vice president’s political future seemed to be an afterthought.

The one thing liberals need to address before the June parade: Putting Biden’s head on a stake is not helpful.

Wall Street warns Trump aides the GOP tax bill could jolt bond markets: White House officials maintain bankers’ concerns are overstated and discount expected revenues from the president’s tariffs.

What we can learn from the senator who nearly died for democracy: The brutal caning of Sen. Charles Sumner in 1856 shows the difference between courage and concession.

Ukraine attacks Russian air bases in far-reaching drone strikes: Drones smuggled into Russia hit bases as far away as Siberia and the far east, destroying 41 aircraft that carry cruise missiles and detect enemy planes, said a Ukrainian official.

Ukraine just rewrote the rules of war: A drone attack damaged Russia’s bomber fleet — and exposed air base vulnerabilities worldwide. - "If the Ukrainians could sneak drones so close to major air bases in a police state such as Russia, what is to prevent the Chinese from doing the same with U.S. air bases? Or the Pakistanis with Indian air bases? Or the North Koreans with South Korean air bases?"

Shhh. Republicans are trying to repeal Obamacare again. Sort of.: They’re not branding it an Obamacare repeal this time around, but congressional Republicans are pursuing cuts to programs that are part of the 15-year-old health-care law. - "Investigators who detect and root out that fraud — Medicaid fraud control units, the HHS inspector general and the DOJ — wouldn’t get any new funding under the GOP bill."

Houston, JD Vance has a problem: The vice president’s strange history of the U.S. space program is out of this world. - "The war’s end touched off a mad scramble by the United States and the Soviet Union to scoop up German and Austrian scientists, engineers and technicians, without being too picky about their Nazi connections."

Parents are discovering the secret to keeping kids off smartphones: Parents can defeat the smartphone epidemic. They can’t do it alone.

Crater Lake National Park superintendent resigns as staffing plunges: Kevin Heatley stepped down Friday as superintendent of Crater Lake National Park, as internal data shows a sharp decline in the National Park Service’s workforce.

Reading archive 2025-04-28 pt 1

Video casts doubt on Ed Martin’s apology for praising Nazi sympathizer: Trump’s pick for top D.C. federal prosecutor said he didn’t know about the man’s statements, but Martin had discussed the antisemitism allegations in podcasts.

U.S. attorney for D.C. accuses Wikipedia of ‘propaganda,’ threatens nonprofit status: Trump appointee Ed Martin accuses the online encyclopedia of “allowing foreign actors to manipulate information and spread propaganda to the American public.”

Big, big trouble at ‘60 Minutes’: Executive Producer Bill Owens steps down, for reasons that are way too predictable.

Amazon slows forecast on HQ2 job growth as D.C. region hurts for employment: The tech giant added a few hundred jobs at HQ2 in Northern Virginia last year — and requested almost $6.5 million in state subsidies — but seems less like the economic cushion for the region that many hoped it would be.

D.C., Commanders plan to announce deal for new stadium at RFK: Details of the deal — which must be approved by the D.C. Council — are expected to be announced by Commanders principal owner Josh Harris and Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) at a news conference Monday morning.

D.C., Commanders announce $3.7B deal to move team to RFK Stadium: The development, anchored by a roofed, 65,000-seat stadium, will be funded primarily by the Commanders, who would put up $2.7 billion, while D.C. taxpayers would pay $500 million.

Carolyn Hax: Friend demands constant attention, enforced by silent treatments: A friend turns to the silent treatment when the letter writer doesn’t keep her constantly informed of plans.

These experts on aging, now seniors themselves, see things differently: Their advice and thinking about resilience, adaptability and outlook have shifted.

CIA official’s son killed fighting with Russian army in Ukraine: Michael Gloss, 21, whose mother is a senior CIA official and father an Iraq War veteran, suffered from mental illness. He died in April 2024 in eastern Ukraine, fighting with Moscow’s forces.

How Lindsey Graham is accommodating himself to Trump’s foreign policy: “Yeah, I think Europe’s gone woke, don’t y’all?” the one-time hawk asked a crowd back home in South Carolina.

What to know to save a life: The key to heart attack survival: Bystander training on spotting and using defibrillators can greatly improve cardiac arrest survival, but many people don’t know what to do.

‘This Is Not How We Do Science, Ever’: The Trump administration is manipulating government-sponsored research to get the answers it wants. - "This is consistent with everything Trump and his allies have revealed about their views on science since January: that it is not a means to better understand objective reality, but a political weapon that they must guard against, or deploy themselves."

Congressional Republicans Might Set Off the Debt Bomb: Their new budget framework is the most irresponsible in modern history—and will put the American economy on a very dangerous trajectory. - "Budget deficits of $1.8 trillion—heading toward $3.6 trillion within a decade under current policies—can be addressed only by putting all spending and taxes up for reconsideration. The popular targets of government waste, defense cuts, and taxing the rich can contribute at the margins, but the unforgiving budget math will force most long-term deficit reduction to come from the lead deficit drivers of Social Security and Medicare, as well as middle-class taxes. Of course, those three reform categories face intense bipartisan opposition. Ultimately, the bond market will leave Washington with no alternative."

Inside the Fiasco at the National Security Council: Firings and leadership challenges have destabilized an institution that has little margin for error. - "The disorder at the NSC, officials told me, stems from Trump's impatience with process, disregard for the law, and insistence on loyalty in place of expertise. They also said it reflects the president's distrust of Waltz, a former Florida congressman and Green Beret who served in the George W. Bush administration as an aide to Vice President Dick Cheney."

Has Trump found a path to peace in Ukraine?: Security guarantees and other hard details remain, but there are signs of movement.

‘Bone collector’ caterpillar, a new species, wears outfit of body parts: The caterpillar species with a macabre fashion sense was discovered by researchers in Hawaii. Its casing is a disguise to fool the spiders with which it lives.

Pup’s death at D.C. luxury building sparks push for ban of deadly plant: The Carolina jessamine is widely known to be toxic to dogs and children.

China plans to build a nuclear power plant on the Moon: The plans come as China steps up its ambitious space programme

China asks Korea not to supply products using rare earths to US defence firms, paper reports

A Ticking Clock on American Freedom: It’s later than you think, but it’s not too late.

What Would Be Worse Than a Recession?: The loss of America’s economic hegemony - "In the words of Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, the onetime French finance minister, the role of the dollar as the world's reserve currency constitutes an "exorbitant privilege" for the United States, a privilege made more exorbitant by Treasury debt's role as the world's safe-haven investment. The country can borrow cheaply and power out of recessions quickly because of this privilege. Yet it depends on investors' trust in American financial institutions and American governance. Trump's trade war is making people question whether the United States deserves to have its privilege revoked."

I’ve Seen How This Plays Out for Ukraine: Appeasement won’t stop Putin. - "The Trump administration's proposed agreement would recognize Russia's illegal annexation and freeze the war's front lines. But nothing I've lived through suggests this would be the end of it. Each concession has been followed by another demand. Every new border has eventually been redrawn. Crimea wasn't the end. Neither was Donetsk. Neither was Mariupol. It's not difficult to see what comes next."

Reading archive 2025-04-02

The Weekend That Shook the World

This muggy city keeps cool with minimal AC. Here’s how.: Palava City, a 5,000-acre experimental community northeast of Mumbai, hopes to provide a model for adapting to a climate-transformed world.

The Evermaskers: The isolation of people who take precautions against COVID has only gotten more intense.

Russia’s Repression Goes South: A group of Russian exiles thought they would find freedom in Georgia. They were wrong.

How the Trump administration took aim at Maine: The acting head of the Social Security Administration called the state’s governor “disrespectful” and vowed there would be consequences.

Head of African American Museum on leave as Smithsonian faces Trump pressure: Kevin Young, an acclaimed poet who was named director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture in 2021, is on personal leave for an “undetermined period,” according to an email obtained by The Post.

White House studying cost of Greenland takeover, long in Trump’s sights: It’s the most concrete effort yet to turn President Donald Trump’s desire to acquire the Danish territory into actionable policy, despite widespread international outrage.

Karen Read is back on trial for murder. Here’s what to know.: Read, accused of killing her boyfriend, alleges she was framed as part of a police cover-up. She is being retried after her first case ended in a mistrial.

How to make your seasonal allergies a little less miserable: Take allergy medicine a few weeks before pollen counts rise to get ahead of the congestion, sneezing and runny nose, experts say - "Despite claims online, there’s no evidence a spoonful of local honey will treat your seasonal pollen allergies, experts said. 

The honey might help to soothe a sore throat or cough, but not treat the allergic reaction. 'The pollen that’s actually in honey is not the pollen you’re allergic to,' Rubin said. 'Plants you’re allergic to are wind-pollinated, not insect-pollinated.'"

Air traffic controller charged with assaulting colleague in DCA tower: A work dispute led to an altercation between employees in the control tower at Reagan National Airport on Thursday night, people familiar with the matter say.

Trump says he’s already scored more business deals than Biden. That’s false.: The White House is comparing apples and oranges.

Farmers bewildered after USDA suggests cutting DEI from energy projects: The Agriculture Department said it would release funds withheld from farmers for months but also suggested they alter projects to align with Trump’s agenda.

You’re probably not cleaning these 11 very germy spots: Don’t worry. Once you know about them, they’re easy to take care of.

Trump administration says it mistakenly deported Salvadoran migrant: The government blamed “an administrative error” for the deportation of Kilmar Abrego García, a Salvadoran immigrant married to a U.S. citizen. Officials claim they’re unable to return him to his family in Maryland.

As Trump shakes trust in U.S., a hub for F-16 fighter jets braces for impact: Booming exports turned a South Carolina city into the “Global Home of the F-16.” Slipping foreign demand among angry allies could hurt that economic engine.

These old Roman buildings could unlock how to build in a warming world: The recycled buildings of Rome, long dismissed by architects, are getting a reappraisal as a model for how to reduce waste while creating something fresh.

Reading archive 2024-03-11

Opinion  Katie Britt’s big fail shows why the GOP can’t connect with women

Katie Britt’s defense of sex-trafficking anecdote compounds its problems: And now the victim herself is criticizing Britt - "The main problem here is that, in addition to Jacinto’s story not involving Biden, the United States or even the border, it also doesn’t involve the cartels.

...

"(You could even make a case that, to the extent U.S. immigration policy is involved at all, the anecdote reinforces the need for an accessible asylum process for victims like Jacinto.)"

How to Organize Your Fridge

Opinion  What happened to Katie Porter? A lesson for Democrats.

The California Senate race wasn’t ‘rigged’ either

Trump mocks Biden’s stutter again, drawing outrage - "'I learned so much from having to deal with stuttering. It gave me insight into other people’s pain, other people’s suffering. It made me understand that everyone, everyone has something they’re fighting to overcome — and sometimes trying to hide,' Biden said."

Trump’s freewheeling speeches offer a dark vision of a second term: A close examination of one appearance in Rock Hill, S.C., offers an anatomy of a signature rally by the former president

Soaring mobile-home rents anger Arizona voters: Rising costs are giving some conservative voters another reason to back Trump and reducing other voters’ enthusiasm for either candidate

FanDuel to replace D.C.’s troubled sports gambling app this spring

Black college athletes can send a message to Ron DeSantis by staying away

Democrats hope IVF issue might topple key Republican in Pa. swing seat: Rep. Scott Perry (R) says he supports in vitro fertilization -- but he backed a bill declaring embryos people, and Democrats want voters to know it

Biden effigy beaten, kicked at Kansas county GOP event, drawing outrage

S.C. rep says she was ‘shamed’ as rape victim when asked about support for Trump: Nancy Mace was asked to square her support for Donald Trump with her comments as a victim of rape

Reading archive 2024-02-26

How the ‘Who TF Did I Marry?’ series took over TikTok: Reesa Teesa’s story of marrying and divorcing a man she called a ‘pathological liar’ has had users on the edge of their seats

With abortion rights looming, Missouri GOP advances slanted ballot rules: The change would make amendments to the state constitution much more difficult to approve — at least for the left - "The proposal, which passed along party lines, would require amendments to receive not only a majority of the vote statewide — as is currently required — but also a majority in five of eight congressional districts."

Trump says Black voters like him more because of his indictments and mug shot: The GOP candidate tells a group of Black conservatives: ‘I’m being indicted for you, the Black population’

See the dozens of new species this deep-sea robot just discovered: Alien-looking lobsters, sponges, urchins, sea stars and sea lilies are among the creatures deep-sea explorers found off the coast of Chile

How Libs of TikTok became a powerful presence in Oklahoma schools: The owner of the far-right social media account, who sits on a state advisory panel, has drawn attention since the death of a nonbinary student near Tulsa

Opinion  Dim or disloyal? Republicans again ensnared in possible Russian plot.

Man found guilty of killing trans woman in historic hate crime verdict: A South Carolina man is the first person convicted by trial of a federal hate crime based on gender identity, federal authorities said

As Lebanon teeters on the edge, a war with Israel would be catastrophic

These giant, invasive spiders appear built to thrive in the U.S.: ‘I don’t know how happy people are going to be about it, but I think the spiders are here to stay,’ one researcher says

Alabama embryo ruling may have devastating effect on cancer patients - "'It’s the same stories that you’re hearing from lawmakers after Roe v. Wade, saying, ‘Oh, I didn’t think it would impact this or that’ … [but] they’re making decisions for others,' said Robin Watkins, 41, who underwent fertility treatments to have her twin boys."

Shane Gillis struggles in a 'Saturday Night Live' monologue that avoids the obvious - "Saturday Night Live made its reputation as a group of comedy rebels making fun of a stuffy political and media establishment, lampooning corrupt and inept politicians from Richard Nixon to Sarah Palin; in other words, punching up. 

"But today's comedy rebels see the insistence that comics lay off insulting slurs about marginalized people as the new establishment — building successful podcasts, standup tours and more on the mistaken notion that avoiding racism, sexism and homophobia is somehow shackling their free speech. Here, punching down is fair game and fairly lucrative."

Bowen Yang Deletes Instagram Post Mocking Nikki Haley ‘SNL’ Visit: The castmember's not-entirely-subtle protests, a history.

Hungary approves Sweden’s NATO bid, unblocking historic expansion

A nurse asked a friend to help her move. He later killed her, police say.: Patrina Best was beloved by her family and friends, traveling the country as a nurse with her dog, Luke

Bowser, business leaders pitch $400M plan to fix D.C.’s ailing downtown: A rise in violent crime across the city, coupled with the possible departure of the Wizards and Capitals, have added to a sense of urgency to stabilize downtown

Ex-Trump White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson says photo refutes Biden impeachment witness's claims

Reading archive 2024-01-29

Shooting hoops, changing perceptions: D.C. students face off vs. FBI: A long-time-in-the-making game was part of FBI officials’ efforts to build relationships with local communities — and recruit students to one day work at the the agency

Cross burning in South Carolina stirs debate over hate-crimes laws

Opinion  Sure, Trump and Biden are old. The similarities end there. - "This above-the-battle, “woe is us” posture makes those who adopt it look tough-minded, independent and clear-eyed. It puts Biden and Trump on the same level and then compares both with someone who doesn’t yet exist. Never mind that it’s far easier to imagine the perfect candidate than to find one."

Opinion  Want safer streets? Paint them.

Opinion  Gen Z might be the MAGA movement’s undoing - "A warning for those courting these voters: 'Gen Z adults (58%) and Millennials (60%) are significantly less likely than Gen Xers (70%), Boomers (80%), and members of the Silent Generation (85%) to agree that voting is the most effective way to create change in America.'

"Nevertheless, these younger Americans are hardly agnostic about politics. To the contrary, 'Gen Z adults are notably more likely than older generations to have signed an online petition (36% vs. 30% or less of older generations) or to have followed the social media profile of someone with different views (21% vs. 16% or less),' the PRRI poll found. 'Gen Z adults are also more likely than older generations (with the exception of millennials) to have posted on social media about an issue that matters to them (32% vs. 25% or less of Gen Xers and older generations) or encouraged others to be politically active on social media (18% vs. 12% or less of Gen Xers and older generations).'"

Lankford defends bipartisan border security bill after attacks by Trump, GOP: ‘We all have an oath to the Constitution and we have a commitment to say we’re going to do whatever we can to be able to secure the border,’ the senator from Oklahoma says. - "'So we actually locked arms together and said we’re not going to give you money for this. We want a change in law,' Lankford said. 'When we’re finally going to the end, they’re like, ‘Oh, just kidding. I actually don’t want a change in law because it’s a presidential election year.’ We all have an oath to the Constitution and we have a commitment to say we’re going to do whatever we can to be able to secure the border.'"

Trump brags about efforts to stymie border talks: ‘Please blame it on me’: The Republican front-runner slams bipartisan talks in the Senate for a deal as Biden calls for emergency authority to address surging crossings

Should I be taking collagen supplements? Here’s what the science says.: Brands claim collagen products can boost skin, nail and hair health. But there isn’t strong evidence behind these claims.

These GOP lawmakers hate federal spending, except for their own districts: Far-right Republicans who have pushed the government to the verge of shutdowns in recent months are set to win hundreds of millions of dollars for their districts in earmarks. - "Now a bloc of conservatives in the House — who have loudly opposed several measures to fund the government since the fall — are on track to direct a total of $371.8 million back to their home districts through individual requests. They stand to take credit for federal funding for projects important to their constituents even if they vote against the legislation that includes the money.

...

"'These projects are born of the most pure interests of the American people and I make no apologies for my success in the arena of [community project funding],' Higgins said in a statement. 'However, I will always oppose massive overspending in the federal budget that overwhelmingly does not meet those same standards, and for that principled opposition, I also make no apology.'" [ed. note: lol]

Russia projects confidence as it pursues alliances to undermine West - "'In terms of latent military power and economic strength, it is absolutely ridiculous that the West is being held hostage by something as relatively puny as Russia,' he said. 'Putin believes that if he is stubborn enough for long enough, we, the feeble West, will walk away — and he could be right. … That won’t just be shameful. That will be an act of strategic self-harm.'"

Falling inflation, rising growth give U.S. the world’s best recovery

Bayer ordered to pay $2.25 billion after jury links herbicide Roundup to cancer

Reading archive 2020-10-26

‘A disgrace to democracy’: Dozens of ballots destroyed in suspected arson of a Boston drop box

A New York police officer said, ‘Trump 2020,’ over his patrol car speaker. He has been suspended.

FBI Sits on Report Detailing White-Supremacist Terror Threat

‘Boogaloo Boi’ charged in fire of Minneapolis police precinct during George Floyd protest: Ivan Harrison Hunter, a Texas rightwing extremist, bragged about helping to set the fire then was seen shooting 13 rounds at the building

Alleged ‘Hunter Biden sex and drug tapes’ posted on Chinese website linked to ex-top Trump adviser Steve Bannon

Kushner: Black Americans have to 'want to be successful'

Trump Wants COVID-19 Media Coverage To Be Illegal: ‘Should Be An Election Law Violation’

US Republicans are starting to look a lot like authoritarian parties in Hungary and Turkey, study finds

Jaime Harrison bets on ‘New South’ coalition in his against-the-odds bid to oust Sen. Lindsey Graham

Trump’s Carrier deal fades as economic reality intervenes: Jobs that were saved are dwarfed by others that left

Trump’s conservative imprint on the federal judiciary gives Democrats a playbook — if they win

Historically Dark Mood Clouds 2020 Election - "In sharp contrast with other presidents, Trump has positioned himself not as a unifying ambassador of hope, but as a fellow victim. He tweets conspiracy theories, laments 'hoaxes' aimed at him, devotes his inaugural address to a dystopian vision of 'American carnage,' and campaigns for reelection as a breakwater against anarchy in the streets and a nefarious plot against the suburbs."

Tumult at home, ailing alliances abroad: Why Trump’s America has been a ‘gift’ to Putin

"All it means when people say 'you're speaking from a place of privilege' is that you're likely to underestimate how bad the problem is by default because you are never personally exposed to that problem. It's not a moral judgment on how difficult your life is."

Reading archive 2020-09-11

EXCLUSIVE: Trump administration secretly withheld millions from FDNY 9/11 health program

ICE flew detainees to Virginia so the planes could transport agents to D.C. protests. A huge coronavirus outbreak followed.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally, faces toughest reelection challenge in S.C.

A group of students knew they had covid-19. They hosted a party over Labor Day anyway.

Reading archive 2020-02-27

A Dupont Circle Home Addition Pits Neighbors Against Neighbors: Children and plants have been weaponized, and it's drawn the attention of three different government bodies.

Pete Buttigieg is not popular with black voters in South Carolina. Miss Black America is trying to change that.

The Untold Tale of Cosmo DiNardo’s Descent Into Murder and Madness: The gruesome killing of four young men on a Bucks County farm made headlines around the world. For the first time, Cosmo DiNardo’s family opens up about his mental breakdown and his turn to evil.

Reading archive 2019-10-22

Trump likely saw Pelosi’s overseas trip as a slap in the face. But someone had to do it.

It’s probably worth remembering that Trump’s Ukraine-2016 allegations are nonsensical

Running Covert Propaganda Against Americans Is Illegal. Trump Tried It Anyway.: The whistleblower stopped a covert psychological operation against the American public dead in its tracks

Buttigieg focus groups found being gay “a barrier” for black South Carolina voters

Mayor Pete Faces a Familiar and “Vicious” Enemy in South Carolina: Homophobia: Black pastors say Buttigieg will struggle in churches that define marriage as between a man and a woman.

William Taylor testifies about deep-seated push for Ukraine quid pro quo: Trump's top Ukraine envoy faced questions about his concerns that Trump was withholding military aid to pressure Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden.

U.S. envoy says he was told release of Ukraine aid was contingent on public declaration to investigate Bidens, 2016 election

How 'It's a gay bar, Pamela' became the Twin Cities' favorite meme

Mayor Pete’s Relationship With Facebook: It’s Complicated: The relationship between the world’s most influential corporation and Buttigieg has come under scrutiny after Mark Zuckerberg passed along two résumés to the campaign.

Mayor Pete Is Starting to Annoy Almost Everyone Else in the 2020 Race: The South Bend mayor has gone after many of his primary rivals in recent weeks, save one.

Shaq Defends Free Speech on NBA Opening Night: ‘Daryl Morey Was Right’: The former NBA star delivered a strong defense of the Houston Rockets GM’s pro-Democracy comments on TNT, which tweeted and then deleted the clip.

Tulsi Gabbard Unites Putin Apologists, Bloodstained Modi, Genocidal Assad and the U.S. Far Right: Gabbard suffers from severely selective moral outrage. Her love for India's massacre-complicit Modi is just as disqualifying as her apologetics for Bashar Assad

Tulsi Gabbard Hires Russian Agent to Keep Hawaii Media in Check

Jeffrey Toobin expresses regret over 'mistakes' in Clinton email coverage

Local lawmaker in Tennessee says he’s not prejudiced, but ‘a white male in this country has very few rights’